Making Confession Easier

[Woodstock]

Tell me if I’m doing my math incorrectly. Two priest heard 23 confessions in less than 20 minutes?%between%

You didn’t account for the second priest in your math.

20 minutes
23 people
2 priests

11 people for one priest, 12 for the other.

20/11 = 1.8 minutes.

1 minute and 48 seconds is still a fast average, but it is a full minute more than you had calculated.

 

[Beautiful]

Assuming that one priest wasn’t there for the full 20 minutes because he had to leave and prepare to celebrate the vigil Mass that would reduce the average amount of time per confession. I might be wrong in my assumption but usually celebrating priests don’t hear confessions right up to Mass starting time. Maybe this one whipped out of the confessional and straight into procession?

 

[MH84]

I like the idea of playing Gregorian chant to ensure privacy.
Regular confession times
A priest who listens and is aware of things like scrupulosity

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

My pastor never gives a standard penance. It is always saying prayers, but the number of prayers varies based on what I have confessed.

I have a confessor who continues to give me a somewhat difficult penance. I think doing a penance of prayers is easier than trying to find someone and do an “act of kindness”. This I feel is the most difficult penance because you sincerely have to find someone and figure out what type of kindness you will perform. This above all penances is very difficult and I always seem to get this as my penance, no matter what I have done.

 

[brittrossiter]

I have a confessor who continues to give me a somewhat difficult penance. I think doing a penance of prayers is easier than trying to find someone and do an “act of kindness”. This I feel is the most difficult penance because you sincerely have to find someone and figure out what type of kindness you will perform. This above all penances is very difficult and I always seem to get this as my penance, no matter what I have done.

That type of penance teaches you to see others from inside of themselves, to see the world from their eyes, to see their needs, and the Christ in them. It’s a fantastic way to learn how to deny yourself and a fantastic penance.

 

[jmcrae]

I have a confessor who continues to give me a somewhat difficult penance. I think doing a penance of prayers is easier than trying to find someone and do an “act of kindness”.

Are you quite certain he meant for you to go find someone and do an act of kindness?

There is also a prayer, called The Act of Charity, that is often assigned for penance in Confession, as well.

The Act of Charity

O Lord God, I love you above all things
and I love my neighbor for your sake
because you are the highest, infinite and perfect
good, worthy of all my love.
In this love I intend to live and die.
Amen.

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

Are you quite certain he meant for you to go find someone and do an act of kindness?

There is also a prayer, called The Act of Charity, that is often assigned for penance in Confession, as well.

The Act of Charity

O Lord God, I love you above all things
and I love my neighbor for your sake
because you are the highest, infinite and perfect
good, worthy of all my love.
In this love I intend to live and die.
Amen.

Yes, everytime I go to this priest I am asked to do an act of kindness for someone this coming week. I usually go every first Saturday and this is what I am told.

 

[Norseman82]

There is a parish in downtown Chicago - St. Peter’s - that offers confessions from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays, and noon to 4:30 on Saturdays. And this was after they cut back their hours! So I agree that offering a variety of confession times is necessary.

I also agree with the privacy issue. Some parishes have a curtain instead of a door to the confessional!

 

[jmcrae]

Yes, everytime I go to this priest I am asked to do an act of kindness for someone this coming week. I usually go every first Saturday and this is what I am told.

Oh, I see. I only mention it because the first time I received this penance in the Confessional, I thought I was supposed to do an “act of charity” for someone during the five minutes that were left before Mass, and then he explained that it is a prayer.

 

[ComputerGeek25]

Three confessions per hour? It wouldn’t work in my parish. There are confessions 30-40 minutes before weekday afternoon Masses, and there is always a line, usually ten or more, and the priest generally gets them all in, or comes back to the confesional after Mass. But three per hour? How long does it take to confess sins and receive absolution?

Ok, I’ll speak from my experience…

I think if confession was offered more often/at more convient times during the week this wouln’t be a problem. For me, convient times would be very early in the morning or in the evenings. Some of us work 8-5 jobs and Saturdays are used for errand catch up (especially for us single folk). I’m not minimizing the importance of confession, but it sometimes it’s challenging to plan your day around a 5 minute task.

 

[JimG]

Assuming that one priest wasn’t there for the full 20 minutes because he had to leave and prepare to celebrate the vigil Mass that would reduce the average amount of time per confession. I might be wrong in my assumption but usually celebrating priests don’t hear confessions right up to Mass starting time. Maybe this one whipped out of the confessional and straight into procession?

The priest in the confessional left the confessional with about 1 minute to spare. He went to the sacristy, vested, and then came out for Mass–maybe a few minutes late, I didn’t check. In the meantime, the priest in the sacristy was ready to leave, but one more person approached him. The penitents were moving at a faster clip than usual; I’d say less than 2 minutes each. I’ve heard one of our priests say in the past that the average confession took 2 1/2 minutes. But that is only an average. They won’t rush you. However sometimes, if there is a long line and time is at a premium, a priest might ask you to say the act of contrition when you get back to the pew.

 

[Beautiful]

I’ve heard one of our priests say in the past that the average confession took 2 1/2 minutes. But that is only an average. They won’t rush you. However sometimes, if there is a long line and time is at a premium, a priest might ask you to say the act of contrition when you get back to the pew.

With all the details clear, I now see reality for you and others. I’ll have a more prayful mind and heart when I consider our shortage of confessors and how stretched some priests are.

 

[JimG]

Confession practices vary from place to place; I don’t want imply that everyone has to be done in 2 1/2 minutes! Our parish is somewhat unusual in that we do have confessions every day of the week except Sundays and still sometimes not everyone gets heard. The priests are good, though, about coming back into the confessional after weekday Mass if there are some who didn’t make it.

 

[lak611]

Oh, I see. I only mention it because the first time I received this penance in the Confessional, I thought I was supposed to do an “act of charity” for someone during the five minutes that were left before Mass, and then he explained that it is a prayer.

Thanks for telling us the prayer in your other post. I got that penance once by a priest not from my parish and did not know it was a prayer. My “act of charity” was putting some money in the poor box on the way out of the church.

 

[LilyM]

Thanks for telling us the prayer in your other post. I got that penance once by a priest not from my parish and did not know it was a prayer. My “act of charity” was putting some money in the poor box on the way out of the church.

Well it isn’t always a prayer, y’know! And if the priest says DO an act of charity rather than SAY an Act of Charity then it’s reasonable to assume that he meant to do a kindness for someone.

If my priests suggested such a prayer, which isn’t one that everyone knows, they’d generally ask me if I knew the prayer first. Or do as one priest does who sometimes gives me the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi but told me that it could be found in the back of the Missal.

And penance doesn’t have to be done at any specific time (such as before Mass) either. Giving money for the poor box is just fine as an at of charity! If anything it’s better than many such acts because it’s anonymous.

 

[lak611]

And penance doesn’t have to be done at any specific time (such as before Mass) either.

That’s true. I just like to do my penance ASAP so I do not forget.